Normally, I tether Ami and Archer before I feed them - Archer snarfs his food down really fast and he's a budger. Ami likes to lay down, take a mouthful of food, chew and savor it. This morning, I decided to just feed them without tethering so the could continue to romp after (read: it's cold out there and I did not want to go back outside in 15 min. Also, Archer likes to disassemble his dog house when he's tethered.)

So...I gave Ami his food, Archer immediately stuck his head in Ami's bowl, and surprising to me, Ami said "NO" in no uncertain terms and held his ground. Translate: a snarling snafu ensued I hollered at them, took Archer by the scruff and led him to his bowl and fed him. He finished quickly as usual and started to come back to Ami's bowl. But fierce Momma stood guard so Ami could finish in peace. Archer, in full stalk mode tried all sorts of approaches, head down and stalking (not me, he would slink away when I said no)...

So should I take the easy way out and just continue to tether them while eating or does this need to be addressed. After the food was gone, they were both best pals again.

Two approaches here Amy - from my viewpoint -
Obviously feeding them separately and tethering them eliminates the problem completely (well, pretty much) and retains your peace of mind.
Since Ami said "No!" and archer backed off (with a little help, apparently) and Archer accepted that Ami wasn't in the mood to share. *IF* Archer continues to accept that Ami isn't going to share then that battles won until sometime when you're not handy.

My two are fed separately - Avalanches food (free fed) stays on the front porch while Sasha's bowl is in the kitchen doorway (where she leaves it ...) Avalanche has been taught that Sasha's food is hers and he'd better leave well enough alone. Sasha will sometimes look at Avalanches food bowl when I let her out the front door at night - but she hasn't bothered it since the time she took a hunk out of my arm.

Personally, it's a tough call. There are times we want to be able to just put their food down ( we're late, it's wet, etc ) and let them eat without having to stand guard - but like everything that takes time and training ( though Ami does sound like he's got a good start on the training ) other times we want the peace of mind that comes with have them restrained so they can't try to get to each other food.

Sorry I'm not a lot of help, but I can commiserate ....

Amy, I'm only going to compare to what I've experience, since I have no experience with a multi dog home. However, I did experience something similar. We took Miya to her new boyfriends house to play, she has gone there several times now, but on 3 different occasions he verbally argued with her, once for trying to grab his bone, once for trying to go into his dog house and once to smell his empty dog food bowl. It sounded horrible, but I allowed to let it happen, Miya needed to be reminded not everything is hers, and that she is no longer a puppy, being put in her place I think made her grow up a little and not be so dominate and bossy to other dogs. I see it as a teenager trying to get away with everything and the parent having to show some discipline. So in essence a manners check. I would think after a couple of yells from Ami to Archer, things will be fine. I would just make sure it's a verbal warning from Ami and Archer respects it. If it gets physical, then separation is indeed in order, just mho, though, others may see it better than myself. Btw, the female owner was horrified, she never seen her boy act that way, I told her he was just showing her manners, that she really needed to be put in her place, not everything is hers. I agree with Al that some dogs do need to eat separately, but you don't know eithers temperament to eating unless you try, and with Archer being young still, I just think it really was a manners check....I hope I made some sense??????

Amy, I do what you did. If a dog keeps coming back and ignoring the warnings of the dog that is eating his/her own food then I step in and my presence becomes the barrier if you will. Basically I become the food police to those that try to eat another dogs food. Not so much because I don't want to let them figure it out themselves but more-so to control who eats what and how much.

Perfect sense, Renee.  In some ways, I was actually glad for the scuffle - Archer is so much more dominant and Ami is generally such push-over woose.  Happy to see him stand up for himself.  There was no blood.  But, Archer did yield only when I intervened.  

Partly my fault, I think - first I was late with their breakfast and since Ami fell asleep under the table last night, we let him stay there and he didn't get his "midnight snack" so they were hungry, especially with the cold snap.  And then, usually my feeding routine when they are both here is to make them sit, tether Ami, then walk Archer to his tether, make him sit again, go back to Ami's house where the food bowls sit on top and then give Ami his bowl, walk over and give Archer his...I expected the routine to be the same without the tethering but I forgot to make them sit, first.  And a brief "all hell" broke out.

Val - knowing who eats what is part of it for these 2 also - Archer is on Blue puppy food, and Ami at the moment is eating Canidae grain free fish, usually TOTW high prairie or 4 health turkey. Get sloppy poop otherwise. Also, I just want Ami to be able to enjoy his food - he really does savor his eating experience, lays right down and just slowly enjoys it...

Ya' live and ya' learn.

I dont wanna hi-jack this thread but I'm having the same issue with Kohdi and Mishka. They eat seperately (always have) and Kohdi has been extremely good with sharing things with Mishka, yet Kohdi has become VERY defensive of some things (treats for example) and even those, I give seperately. However, once Mishka is "released", she'll go right to the spot where Kohdi had his treat (and nothing is there!!!) and a full on argument ensues with Kohdi pinning Mishka to the ground, mouth around her neck, etc. Im not gonna lie, scares the bejeezus out of me that hes going to seriously hurt her (yesterday there was a hint of blood on Mishka's face) While I know Kohdi shouldnt be allowed to act out like this, Mishka also has to learn to give Kohdi some space. I am handling it the best I can but if anybody has any helpful hints, maybe you could share them here

I edit to add this...although they both are fed seperately, they both have not needed to be seperated per say...Mishka has laid down next to Kohdi while he eats with no issues, I seperate them mostly cuz Mishka inhales her food while Kohdi takes his time and I want Kohdi to eat all his food without Mishka finishing it off for him. The arguments arise out of only certain things that Kohdi defends (even is its already gone) with only treats being the one and only where it will always happen...other things include toys (could be Mishka has played with it a hundred times but this one time Kohdi doesnt want her to have it) bones, etc. Kohdi, I believe, has been extremely tolerant of Mishka and has shared everything with her, but Kohdi has these "moments" as well and he was doing it even before Mishka came along.

In my house- if a dog can't be trusted to eat in the same room with the other dogs (even with reasonable accommodations by me- such as me monitoring, but I will not be the food bowl police) they cannot eat in the same room. It's not fair for the dogs who CAN behave to deal with pressure around their food. While learning, the "new" dog (or the one who doesn't get it) is as far away from the others as possible. They eat and then are immediately escorted out if they attempt to be near another dogs space more than once. They get one warning- and then out. I have never had to permanently separate a dog while eating after more than a few weeks of learning this new "routine." But if I did encounter such a dog- I would have no problem banning them from common eating areas.

But I don't think that other dogs should have to deal with their space (and their food) being invaded. I don't even allow licking of others bowls after dinner. They get their own bowl and that's that- can't touch anyone elses.

Respect of personal space is really important to me when it comes to my dogs.

Kristina - that is sort of what I am feeling - why should Ami be hassled when he is behaving well. It's weird, though...they come to the back door for treats and I tell them sit, both sit, and I can alternately give each of them a piece or two of kibble, back and forth, over and over and Archer totally respects the process. He looks at Ami as Ami eats his piece, then Ami watches Archer as Archer eats his piece. Really cute.

Today, I tried a variation of my usual procedure. I put Archer's food down while he sat and then tethered him then fed Ami, untethered. Plus, since it is cold out, I am now putting 2 cups of warm water per 1 cup of food, that slows Archer down. The reason for the water is that Ami won't drink water if there is snow around and snow does not have enough water content as far as I am concerned!

We shall see - Archer goes home tomorrow so won't be an issue. What is really weird though is that this morning I thought I would feed Ami in the house by himself before we got Archer - he wouldn't eat until we went and got Archer out of his crate - go figure!